SRI LANKA: Wilpattu National Park with Kids

If you missed part one, you can read it here. It shares how we reached Sri Lanka, how we found our driver – Kiyas – and how we arranged our incredible dolphin-watching experience. Read on to find out what we saw during the kids’ first ever safari – in Wilpattu National Park – and our first cultural destination to Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, the sacred fig tree.

Day 3 – Kalpitiya Town and the journey to Wilpattu:

After another delicious breakfast at Windy Waves Kite Surfing Resort, and a morning playing in the sand, we set off on our journey to Wilpattu which takes a couple of hours.

A plate with slices of watermelon, papaya, and a banana, accompanied by a glass of orange smoothie.
Two children playing on a sandy beach, wearing colorful hats and summer clothing, with the ocean in the background.
Children playing a board game on a wooden table, with various colored game pieces scattered on the surface.

We made two main stops, the first being an early brief explore of the quiet Kalpitiya town. It’s a small fishing and agricultural community offering a glimpse of real Sri Lankan life, with a giant Buddha statue, a Dutch fort (closed when we went), a little church, colourful market stalls of unfamiliar produce, various little shops, and tuk tuks pootling about everywhere.

A towering white statue of Buddha standing with one hand raised, surrounded by a lush green landscape, with an alms box in front and a flag in the background.
A variety of fresh vegetables including eggplants, green peppers, and leafy greens displayed at a market, with a child's straw hat partially visible in the foreground.
A young girl in a pink dress and straw hat stands in a church interior, facing a wooden cross and decorated altar with flowers, surrounded by red curtains and a rustic atmosphere.

Our lunch stop was at The Flemingo which was perfectly fine – nothing special – and offered local dishes plus fried rice and noodles.

Quite a lot of this journey was alongside lagoons so we also made a very short stop along the way to admire some kingfishers, storks, herons and egrets.

A person crouched by a water body, photographing the scenery with a camera. The background features lush greenery and a cloudy blue sky.
A kingfisher bird perched on a wire against a blue sky.
A flock of storks standing by the water's edge with some herons in the foreground, and a group of birds perched on a wooden log in the background.

Wilpattu Accommodation – Greenheart Resort:

There are many accommodation options in this area since Wilpattu National Park is a popular choice for those visiting the Cultural Triangle. We loved staying at Greenheart Resort though, largely because of the lovely ladies who run it. They dressed up in beautiful traditional dresses to welcome us with fresh juices: the girls thought they were real life princesses! We’d been promising an ice cream all day and hadn’t managed to find one so I thought I’d see if they had any and they instantly produced a bowl for each child which was so kind.

Our family room was a self-contained cabin on stilts (with real walls this time!) with two double beds, a sofa and a nice bathroom. We LOVE a jungly setting so this was perfect for us with the sounds of the forest all around. We had a few hours to relax before an amazing home-cooked feast of curries and accompaniments followed by an early night ready for…

A brightly lit bedroom featuring two four-poster beds with white mosquito netting, a young child playing near one of the beds, and wooden flooring.
Two children sitting on the stairs of a house, enjoying snacks while overlooking a lush green garden with a winding path and trees.
A table set with various dishes including a large bowl of white rice, curry with vegetables, boiled eggs, crispy snacks, and fruit such as bananas and watermelon, alongside bottles of water.

Day 4 – Wilpattu National Park Safari:

…a 5:30am alarm! Thankfully, these adaptable kids were wide awake and raring to go in moments. As with most good wildlife-watching, an early start is recommended for a trip into Wilpattu National Park. Our jeep and driver from Wilpattu Megha Safari (arranged by the accommodation) collected us at 6am. With having young children, we decided to opt for a half-day safari but, if you can, I would suggest a full day to give more chance of seeing all the wildlife residing there.

A child watches as a woman climbs into the back of a black pickup truck, while an adult man stands nearby. The scene is set in a lush, green outdoor area with trees in the background.
A young child gazes out of a vehicle window while another person holds a handheld device, surrounded by a forested area on a dirt path.
View from the back of a vehicle looking down a dirt road surrounded by trees.

Our safari was 4.5 hours long and covered lush forest, grassland and plenty of popular watering holes. We didn’t really know how the kids would get on but they were brilliant. They loved riding high up in the jeep, the wind in their hair, and spotting animals of course – which they snapped on their cameras – but they were also really content to just sit and chill. It definitely helped that there was so much to see and not too many other vehicles around.

A person sitting in a safari vehicle, observing wildlife in a natural landscape with tall grass and a river in the background.
A man holding a young child while seated in an off-road vehicle, surrounded by lush greenery.
Two children looking out from a vehicle at a serene lake surrounded by trees under a cloudy sky.

Some highlights were crocodiles, green bee-eaters, water buffalo, spotted deer, hares, mongoose, monitor lizards, wading storks and a range of other water birds, various eagles and kingfishers. There were so many peacocks (many displaying their feathers) which Small discovered she could talk to and get a response!

Two storks wading in shallow water, searching for food, with their reflections visible on the surface. In the background, more birds can be seen.
A large bird of prey, perched on a branch in a forest, featuring dark plumage and a striking yellow eye.
Two green birds with golden heads perched on a branch amidst leafy green foliage.
A hawk perched on a branch of a tree, surrounded by greenery and a clear sky.
A peacock displaying its vibrant blue and green plumage while standing in a grassy area near shrubs.
A heron flying above lush green trees against a cloudy sky.
A vibrant peacock displaying its colorful fanned tail feathers in a natural setting.
A mongoose walking along a dirt path in a grassy area.
A crocodile's head partially submerged in calm water, with ripples surrounding it.
A vibrant peacock with blue and green plumage walking on the ground.

We had a breakfast stop at a watering hole with a box provided for us of fruit and not-very-tempting warm egg and pepper sandwiches! Then there was also another rather lengthy stop at a busy spot where everyone seemed to get out and stretch their legs and use the grotty bathrooms (I think it was mainly a driver socialisation opportunity). Peacocks strutted their stuff and the toque macaques were out in force, climbing on the jeeps, but thankfully not on the humans.

A monkey sitting on a tree branch, surrounded by greenery and sunlight filtering through the leaves.
Two monkeys perched on a directional sign in a forested area, with text indicating 'Washrooms' and 'Summer Hut' nearby.
Close-up portrait of a monkey with large expressive eyes, sitting against a dark background.
Profile of a monkey with a distinctive hairdo and expressive eyes, sitting calmly in a natural setting.
A close-up of a monkey sitting on a seat, with a thoughtful expression and a light brown coat.
A monkey sitting on a tree branch, holding a piece of banana and surrounded by green leaves.

Wilpattu is famously home to leopards, sloth bears and elephants. By 10:30am, we’d seen none of these and had accepted it wasn’t to be. But as we were heading back to the exit, with two dozing daughters, we reached a watering hole and on the other side there were two grazing elephants! I think they were probably youngish males but I’m not certain. We shook the girls awake and spent a very exciting ten minutes or so marvelling at them before having to leave.

Two elephants standing in a natural setting, partially obscured by trees and grass.

Next, we said goodbye to Greenheart Resort and began our 1.5-hour journey to Habarana where we would base ourselves for four nights.

Day 4 continued – Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi:

Our stops to break up the journey this time were in the ancient city of Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We’d initially planned a full day here but, after discussions with Kiyas, we’d decided not to since the ruins are very spread out and the temperature was so high. Instead, we just made a stop at Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi which is home to a sacred fig tree planted 2300 years ago from the original tree Buddha found enlightenment beneath. It’s the world’s oldest hand-planted tree.

A large tree with sparse leaves, viewed from below, with a building structure featuring a circular emblem at the base and a flag in the background against a clear blue sky.

Visiting this small part of the Anuradhapura complex with children is a bit of a challenge in such hot weather. You have to take off your shoes and the floor is almost unbearably hot. The short pathway to the entrance is wet from sprinklers and that’s about the only bit that feels OK. We didn’t realise you’re not meant to wear hats but the guards let the children keep theirs on as there wasn’t any shade.

Two children wearing hats walk on a path beside a man, surrounded by greenery and a clear sky.
A staircase leading up to a traditional temple entrance, adorned with decorative railings and a large tree in the background under a clear blue sky.
A young girl wearing a colorful straw hat admires a selection of vibrant flowers arranged on a table, set against a backdrop of a traditional setting.
A vibrant assortment of purple and orange flowers, including clusters of water lilies and marigolds, arranged together on a surface.
Colorful prayer flags hanging between tree branches near a stone wall and white railing.
A large lizard approaching a barred gate with cloth tied on the bars, next to a weathered box on the ground.

The tree grows on a high-up terrace, surrounded by fencing due to all the vandalism it has faced over the years, including a terrorist attack in 1985 where 146 pilgrims died. Four trees – off-shoots of the main one – stand around the terrace, for protection. It’s a peaceful place where Buddhists bring offerings of lotus and jasmine flowers, water and milk, lamps and rice, and seek blessings and healing at the shrine.

There is also an undercover section containing a Buddha statue where we had a very memorable experience. We were minding our own business, appreciating the shade and taking a few photos when a little boy began following Tiny around, quite persistently trying to balance bright yellow marigolds on her feet whilst his mum took photos! Tiny was totally bemused and, to be honest, we couldn’t really work out what was going on but just communicated through smiles and took a few photos of our own. We’ve since deduced that this lovely moment of connection was probably some sort of blessing.

Colorful flowers arranged in front of Buddhist statues in a temple, with a serene atmosphere.
A young child wearing a colorful unicorn hat and floral pants stands in a temple setting while another child in white kneels beside them, placing a flower at the child's foot.

On we travelled, admiring Anuradhapura’s iconic white domes from afar and stopping for lunch in the city at a very touristy restaurant which we wouldn’t recommend but which, I assume, gives free meals to drivers who bring their clients there. It did have some tortoises the kids could feed though!

A large white stupa with a pointed spire, surrounded by trees against a blue sky, viewed from a distance on an empty roadway.
A serene view of a body of water reflecting a clear blue sky with a few clouds, featuring a prominent white structure on the distant shore surrounded by greenery.
Two children sitting on the grass, one holding a slice of cucumber, observing a tortoise in a garden surrounded by potted plants.

Key information:

Wilpattu National Park entry: adults £19/$25, Small (6-12 years) £11/$15, Tiny (under 6) free

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi entry: approx. £1/$1.50 and a tip for shoe storage; dress modestly

Greenheart Resort family room: £38/$50 p/n

Dinner at Greenheart Resort for two adults and two children: £14/$18

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Check back soon for the next instalment: the loveliest accommodation and some ancient history.

Information is correct at the time of posting. For more adventures, follow us on @four_go_exploring.

Here’s our 11-night Sri Lanka itinerary which was part of a 17-day trip that also included travel days and time in the Maldives.

Day 1: fly to Colombo; travel to Kalpitiya via Anawilundawa Wetlands Reserve; evening on the beach.

Day 2: morning dolphin trip; afternoon on the beach

Day 3: morning on the beach; visit Kalpitiya town; travel to Wilpattu

Day 4: morning in Wilpattu National Park; travel to Habarana

Day 5: morning at Ritigala; afternoon by the pool/afternoon at Sigiriya

Day 6: morning at Polonnaruwa; afternoon by the pool

Day 7: morning walk and cooking class; afternoon at Hurulu Eco Park

Day 8: morning at Dambulla Caves; travel to Wasgamuwa

Day 9: morning in Wasgamuwa National Park; afternoon by the pool

Day 10: morning by the pool; travel to Negombo: evening exploring Negombo

Day 11: fly to the Maldives

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